The acclaimed dance dramas "Awakening Lion" and "Odes to Heroes," created and performed by the Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater, will tour Southeast Asia from September to October.

"Awakening Lion" is China's first contemporary dance drama inspired by the Guangdong lion dance. Set against the Sanyuanli resistance against British forces during the First Opium War, it follows Long Shao and Ah Xing, two young lion dancers who begin as rivals and become allies, as they rally the people to fight foreign invaders.

"Odes to Heroes" is rooted in Chaozhou-Shantou Yingge Dance and incorporates cultural elements such as qiaopi (letters and remittances sent home by overseas Chinese), inlaid porcelain, and wood carvings. Centered on a family of three from a Chaozhou-Shantou overseas Chinese community, the drama highlights family bonds and patriotism.

Videos & photos| Guangzhou Song and Dance Theater